


Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money: other sides of the story

by SheSailsShips



Series: Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money [2]
Category: Ghost Hunt
Genre: F/M, I plan on adding more as I go, actually eventually I plan on covering missing scenes from almost every character, at different pivotal times in the story, can you blame me?, come on I know you're all dying for a Sachi POV, connected to the main GLM storyline, haha just chidding, mostly me indulging in small Mairu moments from Naru's POV, this will probably be, written as a BIG thank you to my readers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:56:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26816221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheSailsShips/pseuds/SheSailsShips
Summary: Additional glimpses of what really happened in Nozomi....This is a collection of missing scenes and alternate points of view inspired by my original work Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money.
Relationships: John Brown/Hara Masako, Lin Koujo/Mori Madoka, Matsuzaki Ayako/Takigawa Houshou, Shibuya Kazuya/Taniyama Mai
Series: Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1955827
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money: other sides of the story

**Author's Note:**

> If you're here and reading this, chances are you've read Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money. Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 
> 
> The moments in this series are meant to be small (meaningful? interesting?) glimpses-- "missing scenes" if you will, based off the main GLM storyline. As you know, GLM follows Mai's POV pretty closely...so naturally there are some things that have been missed along the way. These little moments just wouldn't leave me alone, so that's why I've decided to create a place to collect them should anyone be curious about filling in the blank spots. 
> 
> Happy reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter is a missing scene set in chapter 28, through Naru's POV. It's our first time really in his head (ooooh!). It's a pretty tender scene...if only Mai was awake!

**Day Seven**

**2:30am**

**The Koku Inn**

Naru opened his eyes. Above him was a dark ceiling, partially lit by a chink of moonlight. There was no hum of the air conditioner. Someone slammed a door nearby and his headboard shook. This was _not_ his hotel room in Tokyo.

In an unwanted rewind of the last eight hours, he recollected the events that lead him back to his bed in Nozomi. Madoka had called him a _stupid start-ass_ after getting less than four hours sleep and deciding to turn around and drive three hours back to the god forsaken country. As was her annoying habit, she had been right.

His recklessness had caught up to him. His limbs felt as if they were filled with sand, but an urgent need for water made him shift. Attempting to sit up, his hand made contact with something warm-- _soft,_ and he froze.

Naru stared, his sight adjusting to the dark. A silhouette of a body. There was someone asleep, kneeling at his bedside.

“Mai...?” he spoke, his voice rough.

She didn't stir. He drew his hand back from where it had brushed her temple. A second onslaught of recollections rushed in.

He was transported to earlier that night: standing in the hall outside of base, Mai staring him down.

“ _Ask your new girlfriend.”_

_Naru's blood ran hot in his veins. What use was her intuition when she unfailingly read him wrong? She made to pass him, and he stood in the way._

“ _Girlfriend?”_

“ _Isn't she? Or is it your habit now to meet all of our clients alone at night? Should I go wake up Mr. Sachi?”_

_Isn't she? Righteousness was burning in her eyes, but also something else...he changed tracks, stepping into her space._

“ _What's your excuse, then? You're here just as late.”_

“ _My boss just came in from a long trip. I was making him tea. That's what I do.”_

_They were standing face to face, both breathing hard, but it was as if all the air had been stolen from the room, Naru couldn't get enough. Each breath was shallow. He held her gaze._

It was the last thing he remembered, her eyes boring into his.

Then his consciousness had slipped from him.

He had fainted.

Uncomfortable with the realization, his gaze returned to Mai, sleeping so soundly, her cheek laying against the back of her hand.

She would not have been able to get him back to his room alone. Lin had to have been involved. Almost as if taunting him, he then noticed the dress jacket draped over Mai.

Holding in a curse, his throat burning, Naru began the arduous process of getting himself out of bed, forcing his leaden body to cooperate.

Breathing heavy, Naru paused, resting at the edge of the bed. His attention was once again drawn to Mai. It occurred to him that she must have stayed to look after him.

Unbidden, the lecture _room twelve_ had given him rang in his ears. The old man had caught him in the hall, the moment he had gotten back. Naru was accused of carrying on with a young woman. Their lovers quarrel wasn't _his_ problem, and if he wasn't going to take her back, he should just cut her off. This pounding on doors business had to stop. He had been woken up _twice._ He had a very sensitive sleep schedule, and threatened to report him if it happened again.

Even with the liberties that had been taken filling in the blanks, Naru knew there had to be some truth to the allegations. He had left without telling anyone. Mai would have noticed him missing. He pictured her outside his door, calling his name...

She had been worried.

He had never intended that.

Naru lingered at the edge of the bed, beside Mai, until finally his throat prompted him to move again.

Three steps from the bed, the cold feeling of guilt that had begun to steal over him, _ebbed._

Naru had stumbled over Mai's shoe in the dark. His legs, as fatigued as they were, had nearly given out.

_She's so worried, yet she's sleeping like_ **_that._ **

Naru used the back of a chair, the wall, the tabletop, for support-- finally reaching the bathroom, where he filled a cup of water. Breathing heavily again, he drank with relief.

Leaning against the bathroom door frame, catching his breath and wiping at his brow, he watched as his _nurse_ slept deeply through her duties. One corner of his mouth lifted instinctively. He didn't actually begrudge her for it. It eased his guilt somewhat seeing her look so peaceful.

It was then that Mai shifted, rolling from her front, to her back. Her head tilted up, her bangs fell over her eyes. Beneath her, her legs twisted uncomfortably. Having shrugged off Lin's coat, her arms were stretched above her head, against the mattress. Her body was slanted precariously, as if any second she would slip sideways and fall to the floor.

Naru set down his cup, exasperated, but unwilling to leave her leave her that way. His trip back across the room was slow, but less strenuous this time. Reaching Mai-- dodging her shoe, he made to wake her.

But shaking her shoulder, she only leaned further to the side. Naru had a fraction of a second to react, one hand gripping her shoulder, the other coming behind her head. He froze, bent over her-- he cursed to himself, if she opened her eyes, what would he say?

But she didn't open her eyes. She didn't even stir.

Both relieved and frustrated at how impossible she was, Naru adjusted his hold, attempting to move her into a more comfortable position. But he underestimated his condition, and as he lifted her, he dropped forward, hitting his knees.

Breathless, Naru froze for a second time, his rapid heart rate contrasting with her steady one. Mai's head was now tucked against his shoulder, her arms hanging loosely around him, as if she thought him her pillow. Naru pulled back, looking down into her face, but still-- she didn't wake. 

Naru let out a long exhale, his tired mind stalling on his next step...especially as he recalled what Mai was wearing.

The small amount of light through the window illuminated the dress.

Burgundy lace.

He could almost hear Madoka preening in his ear: _oh, what a doll!_

Mai had been wearing it at the theater. He assumed she had worn it the whole night, but the fact that she hadn't changed, and was there, sleeping on his bed _still_ wearing it...

Naru cleared his throat. Somehow it was dry again. In vain, he glanced over at the table. There his cup of water sat, out of reach. Disregarding making a second attempt across the room, Naru reserved the last of his energy for settling his current situation. Carefully, he extracted himself from Mai's hold.

Unable to move her, his only other option in making Mai more comfortable was to cover her. Naru picked up Lin's jacket, but instead of draping it over her, he set it aside. Grabbing his blanket, he wrapped that around her. Satisfied that she was at least warm, Naru collapsed into bed, laying on his back.

He stared up at the ceiling. The same sliver of moonlight cut through the darkness above him. His throat still burned, but...where his hand laid, another laid warm along side it. Fingers curled around his, but Naru didn't pull away. He was already asleep.


End file.
